a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a music box with a spring as a driving source. Further, this invention relates to an improvement of a music box typically combined with a doll or other toys or ornaments. Such music box is utilized as a power source for movable members such as dolls and ornaments.
b) Description of the Related Art
A music box of conventional design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,573 ("the U.S. Pat. No. '753"). In the conventional music box shown in FIG. 1 of the U.S. Pat. No. '573, there is a dead space between the comb 6 and the frame 1 and/or in the hole under the drum 2. As a result of the large space occupied by the drum and the comb, such conventional music box cannot be made compact. This fact makes the cost for shipping the music box expensive. A further problem exists in this construction in that an ornament which accommodates or is to be used with the music box cannot be small.
In such conventional music boxes, the spring winding shaft is forced to be arranged at a corner of the frame 1. When an ornament accommodating or cooperating with a music box is rotated on a stand formed as a handle of the winding shaft, the following problems occur:
(1) if the music box is located at the center of the ornament, the rotation center is at the corner of the ornament creating eccentric rotation, thus requiring extra space; and
(2) if the spring axis of the music box is located at the center of the ornament, the ornament must be large-sized.